In the Long Run

One of my favorite news personalities reported a story from Jerusalem this morning. He commented that it was very inspirational to see members of three major religions, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, devoutly express their faith by word and deed throughout the city. The reporter admitted that he, himself, was “a spiritual person, but not a religious person.”

I think I know what Matt Lauer meant, but I don’t agree with his assumption. A politically correct evaluation of his remark probably acknowledges that a person may have a personal inner spirituality, and an individual relationship with a higher power without regularly exhibiting any outward manifestation of it. But too many people use that sort of definition of a “private and personal” spirituality as the basis for an intellectual philosophy that is often self-centered, and lacking in the positive action that characterizes a spiritual person.

Every person is born a spiritual being. It is the spiritual aspect that completes man, gives him a soul, and allows him to use both mind and heart to relate to others on a level that is not just physical, and much more than intellectual. However, spirituality is not developed to the same extent in every person.

Expanding those innate spiritual beginnings requires more than professing belief or adopting an intellectual creed. It requires not only a system of beliefs, but also fundamental practices, which is the definition of religion. A person may have a deeply personal relationship with God, but his spirituality is ultimately tested and seasoned through his interaction with people around him. It requires a sort of spiritual triangle, between a person, God, and his fellowmen. Spirituality can be honed and enlarged, and pure religion is the vehicle by which people more easily practice, and perfect the triangle.

There may be a zealous and disciplined few for whom organized religion is not a necessity for developing spirituality. But for most people, without a framework of guidelines, their spiritual development does not progress beyond an embryonic state. Spirituality demands more than lip service—it requires true service through one’s religion. It is difficult to back up the premise of being a spiritual person, without being a practicing religious person also.

Posted by Cyppy at 10:11 PM